The present invention relates to cancer surgery and more particularly to a computer guided system for ablative surgery with enhanced feedback.
There is reference in the prior art to the use of computer control systems for providing and/or enhancing cryosurgical techniques. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,963, issued to I. Barken, discloses an automated and integrated system including a cryosurgery device, an imaging probe and a computer system for use in performing internal surgery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,868, issued to D. O. Chinn, discloses another cryosurgical integrated control and monitoring system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,544, issued to P. W. Mikus et al, discloses a system for assisting surgeons in performing cryosurgery of the prostate by calculating optimal positions for cryoprobes and providing display based templates for overlay over an ultrasound image display, and displaying actual cryoprobe ultrasound images together with template images so that the surgeon may compare suggested and actual placement of the cryoprobes, and adjust placement accordingly.
The presently utilized CryoCare® Surgical System® which is currently manufactured and marketed by Endocare, Inc., Irvine, Calif. utilizes cryoprobes to deliver cold temperatures to the targeted tissue and temperature probes (marketed under the trademark TempProbe®) to monitor temperatures in the surrounding tissue. The CryoCare® Surgical System® presently requires a certain degree of skill for operation since the physician requires an understanding of the temperature mapping of the cryoprobes in order to operate them to deliver an effective treatment.